God's Love

"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." - 1 John 4:12

Recently people have been telling me they think I am a good writer.  Quite frankly, I do not know how to respond to that one, a large part of it due to the fact that I have a strong aversion to writing. Which is why I usually procrastinate when it comes to writing for this blog.  That, and I cannot bring myself to write if I do not have anything I feel is important to share.  So for the past few weeks I have been drawing up a blank.  Fortunately, whenever my insomnia kicks in an idea always comes to me, and the next day I have something to write about.  Unfortunately, the consequences of insomnia are not so great. Thanks to coffee and prayer I was able to make it through today! 

What has been on my mind recently is love.  Now before anyone jumps to conclusions, I am not referring to romantic love, which is usually what people immediately think about when they hear the word "love."  I am as guilty as a lot of others when it comes to making that assumption.  For the same reason, I do not like to say the word "love" because in my mind romantic love is the first definition that pops into my head.  I would be lying if I did not say admit word used to scare the living daylights out of me!  However, now when I think of the word "love," other definitions come to mind.  Giving until you have nothing left, and then giving some more.  To care for someone despite their flaws. Being a servant to others, doing so willingly, fully knowing you will receive nothing in return. To be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice: laying down your life for another.  By these definitions I am referring to the type of love that the Lord Jesus had towards all people every day he was on earth and that he still gives freely of from heaven.  The love the Lord has for us is the truest form of love to ever exist.  I have known this love of God's personally ever since the day I was saved.  What I did not realize, or I should say, I never stopped to realize that I have given out this kind of love without thinking about it. Without even considering what it was while I was expressing it.  This is what has been occupying my thoughts: the fact that love never ends.  Just when I thought I would have no more room to love another person, love bursts through the gates and proves me wrong time and time again.  

Every week we get new "shipment" kids here at the school.  So every Friday the students leave and do not return.  I have to say, biding them farewell is always the hardest for me to do.  I spend the whole week getting to know them, teaching them, and playing with them.  So by the end of the week, I have an appreciation for each one of them, even the kids who misbehave most of the time.  I still love them all.  It even goes towards the kids that I met months ago during my first week of teaching, I remember them and I love them even though I have not seen a majority of them since.  Similar to with so many people I have been fortunate enough to know back in America and Canada.  I love them with the same love I have for my students.  I would not hesitate to take a bullet for a lot of the people I have met.  A lot of these people I will never see again. God put each one of them in my life during a specific time and each for a different reason; and in a lot of cases it was for a very short period of time.  However, I would not ask Him to take back any of it.  It was a privilege to know them and be able to share God's love with them, however briefly.  Because if there is one thing that I have learned here, it is when you let God's love shine through your life, it is like a light in the darkness.  It is something that people do not forget.  With the few kids I have ran into when visiting the villages, or walking through town, I have noticed that they always remember us. My fellow team member Sarah told me about this conversation she had with a student.  The student had very high English for his age.  Sarah was telling him about how she is from America and that she came over here to teach.  The student was confused and asked why would she leave her family to come to Taiwan.  He no doubt saw the evidence from her actions before she even explained why; that she came because she wanted to share God's love with him and as many students as possible.  I have no doubt that student still remembers what Sarah told him.  Actions speak louder than words.  And when through your actions you share God's love, people's lives are forever changed.  Just like the verse in 1 John, "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us."  The way people see God is by how we love others.  For without Him first loving us, we would never be able to love another because we would not know what love is.  Praise be to God, who loved me and gave His only son to die for me!